


Waves of Love (So Easily Lost)

by BlockWritesShance



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: #langstautumnevent2K18, Angst, Boating Accident, Established Relationship, Gift Fic, Lance can’t catch a break, Like, M/M, Modern AU, Other, The Ocean is a Dick, no joke, there is no character death but there is a point where a character believes the other is dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 11:03:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15948047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlockWritesShance/pseuds/BlockWritesShance
Summary: He’s forgotten you exist. Why wouldn’t he? Who would ever want a husband that could only be there, one day out of the year? What worth do you have to him?Lance frowned and shook his head, pushing the echoing words away. “He loves me.”___________He… he couldn’t blame Keith for this. His husband was a good man. One who deserved someone in his life who could be with him constantly.___________Promise me, you’ll forget about me.





	Waves of Love (So Easily Lost)

**Author's Note:**

> So this was written for Writing-is-my-lyf on Tumblr who requesting angst and no character death. They preferred mental angst to physical angst and I really hope I delivered with this! 
> 
> Enjoy!

For Writing-is-my-lyf

* * *

 

**July 15th, Midnight | Somewhere off the Gulf of Mexico**

Lance stirred as the light of the moon brushed tenderly over his flesh. It woke him from his slumber by pulling him away from the soothing cold, which had coaxed him into sleep. His limbs popped gently as he stretched before standing and pulling himself up to the surface. The ocean screeched it’s remorse. The waves he stood on became rough and choppy, as the sea tried to reclaim what was theirs.

“ ** _That’s enough, my love. I have not, and will not, ever leave you,_** ” Lance scolded, kneeling down to run soft fingers over the waves. The surface of the sea settled once again into a glass-like state, reflecting the sky so perfectly that Lance appeared to be walking on an ocean of stars and galaxies. He closed his eyes as he reached out with his mind, searching for the one that he climbed to the surface for, this one night every year.

Heat flooded his senses, flames licking into his head and burning away all thoughts of anything but moving to where the flames pushed him. Fire sang through his blood, causing Lance’s eyes to snap open and zero in on the ship that bobbed on the horizon bathed in the moonlight.

“Keith….” Lance grinned , pushing himself forward through the water, the waves lovingly propelling him toward the boat. As he got closer, he could see the details of the ship — once so familiar, now fuzzy after the past year — come into view once more. . Across the side of the dark oak wood paneling in large, looping letters read “USS Mamora”. The waves lapping gently against it.

The lights were off, portholes dark and worry grew in Lance’s mind. Had Keith forgotten the date? Lance had asked the Ocean to send his husband a reminder, a week before today, so that they could utilize his full 24 hours together.

_He’s forgotten you exist. Why wouldn’t he? Who would ever want a husband that could only be there, one day out of the year? What worth do you have to him?_

Lance frowned and shook his head, pushing the echoing words away. “He loves me.”

A wave of his hand had the waves lifting him up so he could step over the railing. The deck was quiet. Boxes and mooring lines sat silently watching, as Lance tiptoed his way to the stairs that led below to the galley and living quarters. The wooden boards beneath his bare feet creaked and groaned, making Lance scowl harder. He and Keith had worked so hard building this boat. Now it looked like Keith had forgotten all of the dedicated upkeep routines they found to be necessary.

“Don’t worry,” Lance trailed his fingers over the railing as he made his way down the stairs, “I’ll make sure you get lots of good loving before I have to leave again, old girl.”

He reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around. He took in the wall that held their radios and pictures. Every year that Lance got to come aboard they took a photo. The picture of the year they started was Lance’s favorite. They had spent the day talking about the past year, while cuddling on deck and sharing kisses, as well as bait, as they fished in the sun. Both men had gotten sun, evidenced by Lance’s dark tan and the bright red burn Keith had received. Lance had wrapped his arms around Keith, resting his chin on Keith’s head and grinning. Keith, slathered with sunscreen and rolling his eyes, smiled softly before taking the picture.

The pictures were gone. The walls were empty. Where the pictures had once been pinned, the boards were stained lighter . Even the picture of their wedding day was gone! Tears pricked Lance’s eyes as he turned around to look at the door leading to the bedroom. The door was shut halfway, swaying back and forth in the rocking of the waves. Lance reached out with shaking fingers, pausing before touching the wood.

_He’s taken down your pictures. He doesn’t love you anymore. You are nothing. Worthless. It’s only fair he forgot you. Why would he want a deadbeat husband? He’s probably already replaced you. You can’t even warm his bed! Hah! Love? He never loved you._

His throat was dry as he swallowed, pushing the door open, eyes squeezed shut. When there were no shouts of joy, or a fist slamming into his face, Lance opened his eyes.

Keith was sprawled across the bed, his mouth hanging open. Soft snores rang through the room, the echoes blending in with the lulling waves splashing against the side of the ship. The covers were tangled around his legs, and Lance felt a pang go through his chest. Sleeping gently on his husband’s chest, hands fisted into his shirt, was a small child.

_He’s replaced you. I’ll bet that the kid doesn’t even know you exist. The pictures are gone, his ring is gone, and therefore; you are gone. You should just leave. Let him live his life happily without you. He’s made it extremely clear he doesn’t want you anyways._

Lance had been suppressing tears from the moment he stepped on the boat. They finally began to steadily cascade down his cheeks. There was no gasping for breath. No snot. No hiccups, as his lungs pleaded for oxygen. No, this was the crying of a man who had given up.

He… he couldn’t blame Keith for this. His husband was a good man. One who deserved someone in his life who could be with him constantly. Knowing Keith, there was a good reason he had gone and adopted a child.

“Oh, my love….” Lance moved forward silently, leaning down to press a kiss to his husband’s lips. It lasted for less than a second, then Lance was pulling back. He turned on his heel and stalked out, gently shutting the door behind him. The desk beneath the board -- normally filled with maps, pictures and drawings – was empty. Lance felt his tears well up once again, before he dashed them away. He opened one of the three drawers where he knew Keith kept paper and pens. They were there in case Keith needed to record an incoming message from the Coast Guard, to help rescue anyone who was shipwrecked.

Stooping, Lance bent and began writing.

_My Love,_

_I see now that the deal I made, has been nothing but a burden to your heart. I understand now,that I was just hurting you._  
I will always love you, Keith. Nothing will ever change that.  
I hope the child grows up happy out here on the water. (They’re really cute.)  
I want you to promise me something, though.

 _Promise me, you’ll forget about me._  
  
Forever Yours

  
Lance paused, the pen hovering over the paper. He took a deep breath before lowering the pen. He couldn’t sign it. He wanted Keith to forget about him anyway. The pen was placed gently back in the drawer. Lance pinned the sheet near the radio, knowing Keith always checked it when he first woke up.

Lance’s hand shook as he lifted it to watch his ring glint in the light. As he removed it from his hand, the tears resumed, this time with his breath hitching every so often. Lance raised the ring to his lips and placed one final, trembling, kiss to the surface before hanging it on the pin.

“Goodbye.” Lance whispered into the darkness before moving upstairs. His vision was blurry as he made his way to the side of the boat, crying out voicelessly for the Ocean to wrap its arms around him again. Above him, a storm was beginning to brew. Dark black clouds crept over the moonlight and covered the stars. Below, the waves grew in height as the howling wind increased.

“ _ **My love! I am returned to your arms!**_ ” Lance leapt over the side and the water reached up to engulf him soundlessly. The heat Lance had felt earlier was quickly smothered, replaced by the cool kiss of the waves. A brush of the current wiped away his tears and pulled Lance into the deep once more.

**Five Years Ago | Seventy Miles off of the Coast of Italy**

“This storm’s too strong!” Lance cried as he clung to the mast, yanking the knot back into place. “What are we going to do?!”

“We just have to hang on! I’ll keep us straight, you go below and call it in to the Coast Guard!” Keith shouted back, his voice carrying on the wind. Rain pelted at both of them, icy fingers tearing into their skin. Lance struggled to climb back down the mast; then slipping and sliding on the wet deck, he scurried down below.

“Please work. Please work!” Lance pleaded as he pulled down the headphones and microphones. He quickly put them on and then turned the dial to the emergency channel. Depressing the button on the side of the microphone, Lance began to repeat the phrases Keith had made him memorize for situations just like this. “This is the Mamora! We are caught in the middle of a tropical storm that has hit out of nowhere and are taking on water! Requesting a pick up! I repeat, we are requesting a pick up!”

Lance released the button and then waited for a response. When none came he cursed and threw the headphones back onto the desk before stumbling up the stairs. Water splashed over the side of the boat and Lance yelped as he was pulled towards the railing.  
  
“Lance!” Keith’s voice cut through the wind and then a hand was pulling him up and into a warm body. “I’ve got you, baby.”

Lance clung to his husband, fingers grasping at wet cloth. The two stood there in the rain, waves breaking over them and wind clawing at them, simply breathing in the fact that the other was still alive. Keith pulled back and pressed a firm kiss to Lance’s lips.

“I need you to stay below deck while I work on things up here. Keep trying the radio, see if there’s anyone able to help while I deal with the boat. She’s going to need help navigating these waves.”

_**So… alone…** _

Lance’s head snapped to the side and he looked out over the waves. Grey waters rolled and clashed together, rain blurring the waves in the distance. He took a deep breath, he was probably imagining it anyways, and turned back to look at Keith. “Stay safe, my Love.”

Keith grinned and tossed his head back, crossing his arms. “I’m always safe, babe. Now get below deck.”

Rolling his eyes, Lance waved a dismissive hand as he turned his back. Another wave broke over the railing and he was left coughing on the words he was going to say, his back screaming in pain from where he had just gotten slammed into a wall. “You worry too much!”

But when Lance turned around, Keith was gone.

“Keith?” Lance’s eyes scanned the deck. Keith wasn’t there. “Keith!”

He dashed over to the side of the boat, hands clamping down onto the railing to prevent himself from going overboard. “KEITH!”

Lance couldn’t breath. His heart was pounding hard, slamming the air out of his lungs and threatening to break his ribs. Static noise filled his ears and Lance stumbled into the railing as the boat rocked hard. “KEITH!”

Keith was gone.

Keith was gone.

Keith was -

“NO!” Lance yanked his shoes off and then leapt over the railing. Cold water engulfed his body and he frantically kicked towards the surface. His head broke the surface and Lance began to tread water. “KEITH!”

_**All… alone… cold….** _

“KEITH!”

Lance took a deep breath before flipping and diving down into the ocean. The salt in the water stung his eyes, but he kept them open as he scanned the waters beneath him.

_**New companion… New… Friend….** _

Lance shook as he fought to the surface once more, tears falling as he let out one last scream. “KEITH!”

When there was no answer, Lance let out a sob. This wasn’t happening! This couldn’t be happening! It was their two year anniversary and it wasn’t supposed to rain!

“Please,” Lance sobbed, tilting his head back and letting the rain wash his tears away. “Please bring him back to me!”

_**Why should I? He will keep me company for the next hundred years.** _

Lance froze as the words slid through his mind. What was happening? The rain had stopped, the winds frozen. Everything was still and the clouds that had darkened the evening sun were suddenly gone. It was almost as if the storm had never existed.

_**You with the blood of my descendants, have called out to me. Your tears have stained my waters and your cries echo through the wind. Why should I return this mere mortal to you, child of the Sea?** _

“I-“ Lance swallowed, not completely understanding what was going on. But, he was desperate. “I would take his place.”

_**Oh? And why should that tempt me?** _

“He does not appreciate the waters as we do.” Lance searched his mind and then began to bullshit like he had never bullshitted before. “As you said, he is but a mere mortal. His temper burns and his life is a flash of light. Why have something fleeting when you could have one who understands you. He would sit and appreciate the Ocean and all her dwellings with you?”

 _Please_ , Lance prayed, _Please_.

_**Very well. He will be returned to his boat, but you will come with me. It has been too long since I’ve last spoken with another and you are intriguing to me.** _

“Wait, he is my husband. All I ask is that I may be granted time to see him, please.”

_**Very well. Every year on this day you will be granted leave to see your husband. From sunset to sunset you will be able to touch and talk to him; then you will return to me.** _

“Thank you,” Lance breathed out. “Thank you.

The water around him grew warmer and Keith was suddenly in front of his eyes, cradled by the waves. His husband looked peaceful, eyes shut as if he was sleeping. Lance closed his eyes, bowing his head so that he could touch his forehead to Keith’s.

“I love you, forgive me.”

And then the waves were carrying Keith away, Lance watching as they reposted him gently on the deck of the boat.

_**Come. I will show you your new home.** _

Lance swallowed and nodded. His eyes never left the boat as the waves began to pull him under, and the last thing he saw before he was drawn away was Keith standing up and moving to the railing, the sun setting behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a hard fic to think through. I spent most of my time trying to figure out why Lance had bonded with the Ocean and yet was married to keith and then it hit me out of nowhere!  
> Literally.  
> I was cleaning my room and the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest movie fell and hit me on the head! Thus, Angst was born! Of course, I added in my own little twists.  
> Some of you may notice that Lance gets told he has the Blood of the Sea in his veins. That’s because in this fic he is a descendent of a selkie.  
> Feel free to leave a comment below telling me what others theories you think could be viable!


End file.
